Flowable weighted diaphragm air compressor



A. E. SWINDLER FLOWABLE WEIGHTED DIAPHRAGM AIR COMPRESSOR Filed June 25,1948 July 29, 1952 JNVENTOR. ALBERT E. SWINDLER ATTORNEY Patented July29, 1952 FLOWABLE WEIGHTED DIAPHRAGM AIR COMPRESSOR Albert E. Swindler,Akron, Ohio, assignor to Wingfoot Corporation, Akron, Ohio, acorporation of Delaware Application June 25, 1948, Serial No. 35,255

17 Claims. 1

The present invention relates to a pulsating type diaphragm aircompressor of the typ in which the diaphragm is weighted to the desiredamount to give the required air pressure. More particularly, theWeighting means is a fluid such as mercury, loose shot, sand or attachedor imbedded weight.

Another object of this invention is to provide predetermined airpressure for use in a pneumatic mattress having plural sections whichare alternately inflated. The particular means employed for inducingalternate pressure in the sections of the mattress comprises a rockablecontainer having weighting means for alternately forcing air out of thecontainer into the different sections of the mattress- The weightingmaterial determines the force with which th air is expelled from thecontainer.

This device is primarily designed to eliminate expensive air compressingmechanisms and to provide a simple means for compressing the air whichwill facilitate the use of the device in the home. With manual control,the device can be made very simple and inexpensive to operate.

More particularly, my invention has to do with the application ofalternating pressures having a predetermined magnitude controlled by aflowable mass of liquid or other Weighting means which periodicallyforces the air first into one part of the mattress and then the other,the rockable member being moved by hand or by any mechanical, electricalor similar device which will rock it through approximately 180.

In the drawings:

Fig. 1 is a top plan view showing a mattress with a pulsating devicemade according to my invention;

Fig. 2 is a cross section taken on the line 2-2 of Fig. l;

Figs. 3, 4, 5 and 6 are views similar to Fig. 2, with the rockabledevice in successive positions in one-half of the cycle of movementthereof;

Fig. '7 is a view similar to Fig. 2 showing a modified construction;

Fig. 8 is a front elevation of the pulsating device and means forrocking same. shown in Fig. 1; and

Fig. 9 is a view similar to Fig. 7,.showing a further modification of mydevice with only the lower part in section.

In Fig. 1, I have shown more or less diagrammatically a mattress Ihaving interfitting toothed-like hollow sections 2 and 3, these sectionsbeing inflatable and independent of each other.

The section 2 is inflated through a con- 2 duit 4 and section 3 isinflated through a conduit 5 through tubes 6 and 1, respectively, whichin turn are connected to the outlets 8 and 9 on the rockable containerH]. The container, as shown in Fig. 2, comprises two semi-sphericalsections II and 12 having flanges l3 and M which are adapted to bebolted together to make a substantially spherical container. Interposedbetween the flanges are two layers of flexible material -formingdiaphragms l5 and [6. These are preferably of a rubber impregnatedfabric. The diaphragms l5 and it are preferably of a size to just lineone-half of the inner circumference of the container, and between thediaphragms l5 and I6 I interpose a flowable mass I! of weightingmaterial such as mercury, small shot (preferably not over 1%" indiameter), sand or similar loose material. Preferably, the air is allexhausted from between the diaphragms when a liquid such as mercury isused. The diaphragms i5 and it therefore form an enclosure for theweighting material and hold it confined as the member ID is rocked.These diaphragms l5 and I6 assume somewhat the positions shown in Figs.3, 4, 5 and 6 as the container is rocked through approximately until thediaphragm I6 is on top as in Fig. 6, instead of on the bottom as inFig.2.

As the container I0 is rocked, the loose weighting material, whichalways tends to gravitate to the bottom of the hollow container, forcesthe air out of the container on one side of the diaphragm and then theother and air escapes through outlets 8 and 9. This causes air to. bealternately forced through the tubes 6 and T into the sections 2 and 3,respectively, of the mattress. The pressure of the air is determined bythe position of the weighting material in the container. As will beobvious from an inspection of the drawings, the pressure in the mattresssections will vary as the container I0 is rocked. As the air is forcedinto the section 2, air is withdrawn from the section 3, and vice versa,with the resuit that the fingers of the comb-like mattress sections arealternately raised and depressed so that anyone lying on the mattress issupported principally first by one section and then the other. Suchaction prevents bed soreness and acts to massage the body to increasethe comfort of the patient. It also helps to induce sleep.

However, my invention relates primarily to the idea of using a closedcontainer spanned by diaphragms which enclose mercury as the pressuremedium for forcing the air out of the chamber into the differentmattress sections or a single weighted diaphragm such as is shown inFig. 9. The pressure to be obtained in the mattress sections isdetermined by the weight of the mercury or other weighting means.

Of course, the container it can be made in any desired shape and doesnot have to be spherical, but my particular construction is veryeconomical to make as the two spherical sections can be easily drawn andthen fitted together with the diaphragms held firmly therebetween.

In order to rock the container I0, I mount it on a set of bearings 18which receive the aligned pintles IS on the container It. On one'of thepintles 19, such as that shown at the bottom in Fig. 1, I rigidly securea segmental gear 20. This gear meshes with a rack 2| connected by apitman 22 to the outer end of a crank 23 carried by the shaft 24 whichin turn carries a worm wheel 25, driven from the worm 26 actuatedthrough any suitable gearing (not shown) by a motor 21. The crank causesthe rack 2| to be moved back and forth which in turn rocks the memberdue to the meshing of the'gear with the rack. Any other suitable meanscould be used to rock the container l0 back and forth throughapproximately 180 of movement to cause the air to be forced out of thecontainer Iii, first into one chamber and then the other. In Fig. 7, Ihave shown a slight modification of the device shown in the otherfigures, such as in Fig. 2, and in which the spherical sections 28 and29 correspond to the spherical sections H and I 2. However, at thepoints 33 and SI, the spherical sections are rounded so that thediaphragms will not have to lie against asharp corner, and infabrication the sections are more readily drawn. With the constructionshown in Fig. '7, the diaphragms will last longer than with aconstruction such as shown in Fig. 2. Also, in this modification of theinvention, the outlets 32 and 33, corresponding to the outlets 8 and 9of Fig. 2, are arranged close to the flanges of the spherical members sothat there is less chance of the air being trapped inside of thecontainer. With the outlets 32 and 33 arranged as shown in Fig. '7, itwill be noted that they are located in such a position as to be adjacentthe last amounts of air to be pushed out of the container (see therelative positions of the diaphragms in Figs. 2-6) In order to supplythe desired initial q antities of "air to the mattress, I provide valves34 which may be opened to admit air through conduits 35 to which abicycle pump or other source of air supplying means may be attached.When the required amount of air has been supplied to the sections 2 and3 of the mattress, the valves 34 are closed and the device is ready foroperation. Air lost through leakage may be replaced the same way.

In Fig. 9, I have shown a further modification of my device in which thesemi-spherical members 36 are provided with grooves such as 31 foreliminating trapped air. These groove may be quite minute in actualpractice and the number needed may readily be determined by thoseskilled in the art.

,Inthis form of the invention, a single diaphragm 38 is clamped betweenthe flanges 39 of the semi-spherical members and is made quite thick atthe central portion in which I preferably embed lead weight 46 or thelike to give the desired weight to the diaphragm to force the air out ofthe chamber.

Any of the forms of the invention may be con- 4 structed to provide theventing means described in connection with Fig. 9.

Other modifications of my invention may appear to those skilled in theart to which it pertains and therefore I do not wish to be limitedexcept as hereinafter set forth in the claims appended. The containercould also be actuated by manually actuated means whereby the patienthimself could determine the pressure of the pulsations as well as theperiod.

Having thus fully described my invention, what I claim and desire tosecure by Letters Patent of the United States is:

1. A pulsating device comprising a hollow rockable container having aport, a flexible weighted imperforate, fluid weighted diaphragm spanningthe interior of the hollow rockable member, for fo in the diaphragm inthe direction toward said port to expel the air through the port whenthe container is rocked, means for rocking said container and means foradmitting air to said container between said port and diaphragm as saidcontainer is rocked in the opposite direction.

2. A pulsating device comprising a hollow rockable container having aport, a flexible diaphragm spanning the interior of the hollow rockablemember, flowable weighting material on the side of the diaphragmopposite the port for forcing the diaphragm in the direction toward saidport to expel the air through the port when the container is rocked,means for rocking said container and means for admitting air to saidcontainer between said port and diaphragm as said container is rocked inthe opposite direction.

3. A pulsating device comprising a hollow rockable container having aport, a flexible diaphragm spanning the interior of the hollow rockablemember, and a liquid pressure medium on the side of the diaphragmopposite the port for forcing the diaphragm in the direction toward saidport to expel the air through the port when the container is rocked,means for rocking said container and means for admitting air to saidcontainer between said port and diaphragm as said container is rocked inthe opposite direction.

4. A pulsating device comprising a hollow rockable container having aport, a flexible diaphragm spanning the interior of the hollow rockablemember, and mercury on the side of the diaphragm opposite the port forforcing the diaphragm in the direction toward said port to expel the airthrough the port when the container is rocked, means for rocking saidcontainer and means for admitting air to said container between saidport and diaphragm as said container is rocked in the oppositedirection.

5. A pulsating device comprising a hollow container having at least twoports, each on opposite sides of the container, a pair of diaphragmsspanning the interior of the hollow container, a quantity of weightingmaterial in the space between the diaphragms, and means for rocking thecontainer to cause the material to actuate the diaphragms, first towardone port and then the other, whereby the air is alternately forced outthrough the one port and drawn through the other, depending on thedirection the diaphragms are moved by the material therebetween.

6. A pulsating device comprising a hollow container having at least twoports,-each on opposite sides of the container, 9. pair of diaphragmsspanning the interior of the hollow container, a quantity of liquid inthe space between the diaphragms, and means for rocking the container tocause the liquid to move the diaphragms, first toward one port and thenthe other, whereby the air is alternately forced out through the oneport and drawn through the other, depending on the direction thediaphragms are moved by the liquid therebetween.

7. A pulsating device comprising a hollow container having at least twoports, each on opposite sides of the container, a pair of diaphragmsspanning the interior of the hollow container, a quantity of mercury inthe space between the diaphragms, and means for rocking the container tocause the mercury to move the diaphragms, first toward one port and thenthe other, whereby the air is alternately forced out through the oneport and drawn back through the other, depending on the direction thediaphragms are moved by the mercury therebetween.

8. A pulsator comprising a hollow container having at least two ports,adjacent diaphragms sealed with respect to the sides of the container todivide the container into at least two chambers, at least one of saidports communicating with one chamber and another port with the otherchamber, a quantity of weighting matenal between the diaphragms, andmeans for rocking the container in opposite directions to cause thediaphragms to force the air first out of one chamher through the portcommunicating therewith and then the other chamber through the portcommunicating therewith as the container is rocked, the opposed faces ofthe diaphrgam and container being formed to provide vents therebetweenwhen in contact, the air being drawn into the chamber through one portas it is forced out of the container through the other port.

9. A pulsator comprising a hollow container having at least two ports,adjacent diaphragms sealed with respect to the sides of the container todivide the container into at least two chambers, at least one of saidports communicating with one chamber and another port with the otherchamber, a quantity of fluid between the diaphragms, and means forrocking the container in opposite directions to cause the diaphragms toforce the air first out of one chamber through the port communicatingtherewith and then the other through the port communicating therewith asthe container is rocked.

10. A pulsator comprising a hollow container having at least two ports,a pair of diaphragms t in the container forming a closed chamber for aquantity of liquid, at least one of said ports communicating with onechamber and another port with the other chamber, a quantity of liquid insaid chamber, the diaphragms additionally dividing the container intotwo separate pressure chambers for pressure fluid, means for angularlymoving the container, the diaphragms loosely spanning the space betweenopposite walls of the container, whereby the liquid will force thediaphragms first in one direction and then in the other, to reduce thevolume of one pressure chamber and then the other, and ports formingoutlets and inlets communicating with each pressure chamber.

11. A device as set forth in claim in which the liquid substantiallyfills the space between the diaphragms.

12. A pulsator comprising at least two sections shaped when joinedtogether to form a hollow container, a pair of diaphragms having theirouter edges clamped between the sections of the container at theirmeeting edges to divide the container into two fluid receiving chambers,a port in the wall of each chamber, a weighting material heavier thanthe fluid to be supplied to the chambers positioned between thediaphragms for forcing fluid from one of said chambers through one portand for drawing fluid into the other of said chambers through the otherport as the container is rotated.

13. A pulsator comprising at least two sections shaped when joinedtogether to form a hollow container, a pair of diaphragms having theirouter edges clamped between the sections of the container to divide thecontainer into two chambers, a port in the wall of each chamber, andmercury positioned between the diaphragms for forcing fluid from one ofsaid chambers through one port and for drawing fluid into the other ofsaid chambers through the other port as the container is rotated.

14. A pulsator comprising at least two sections shaped when joinedtogether to form a hollow container, a diaphragm having its outer edgeclamped between the sections of the container to divide the containerinto two chambers, ports forming outlets and inlets, at least one foreach chamber, and fluid weighting material embedded in the diaphragm forforcing fluid from one of said chambers through its port and for drawingfluid into the other of said chambers through its port as the containeris rotated.

15. A pulsator comprising a rotatable hollow member divided transverselyby at least one fluid weighted diaphragm dividing the container to format least two fluid receiving chambers, ports forming outlets and inlets,at least one for each chamber, and means for moving the container tocause the diaphragm to be moved first in one direction and then in theother, transversely to the direction in which the diaphragm spans thecontainer, whereby the dimensions of one chamber and then the other isreduced and the fluid when supplied to each chamber is alternatelyforced out of its respective port, and drawn into the other chamberthrough its port.

16. A device as set forth in claim 15 in which the container is providedwith a segmental gear rigidly connected thereto, a rack for actuatingsaid gear and a crank and pitman connection with actuating meanstherefor for moving said rack back and forth to cause said container tobe oscillated.

17. A pulsator comprising a container and actuating means for rockingsaid container, said container being formed of at least two similarlyshaped joined sections, the walls of the sections at their edges curvingoutwardly and having contiguous flanges, a pair of diaphragms clampedbetween the flanges and spanning the container, a flowable mass betweenthe diaphragms, and ports, one communicating with each chamber, andthrough which fluid flows into and out of the container as it is rocked.

ALBERT E. SWINDLER.

REFERENCES CITED The following references are of record in the file ofthis patent:

UNITED STATES PATENTS Number Name Date 98,901 Wood Jan. 18, 1870 688,453Welch Dec. 10, 1901 2,425,655 Tompkins Aug. 12, 1947 2,437,006 SimpsonMar. 2, 1948

